OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

2025-12-31-annual-report

Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025

Donaghadee Parish

Charity Registration Number NIC 102612

Charity Address Rev Ian Gamble 3 The Trees Donaghadee BT21 0EJ

Trustees

Rev Ian Gamble (Rector) Mrs Amanda Humphreys (People’s Church Warden) Mrs Lorna Thrush (Rector’s Church Warden) Mrs Diane Finlay (Secretary) Mrs Heather Heaney (Treasurer) Mr Stephen Bain Mr Garth Boyd Mr David Humphreys Mr Frank Humphreys Mr David Monahan Mr Gary Robinson (People’s Glebe Warden) Mr Ian Henderson (Rector’s Glebe Warden) Mr Samuel David Martin Mr Barry McWilliams Mrs Sophie Glendenning Mr Norman May

Independent Examiners

Mrs Debra Bain Mr David Franklin 32 Rosepark 15 Alexandra Road Donaghadee Donaghadee BT21 OBG BT21 6OQD

The purpose of the charity

The charitable purpose of the Church of Ireland is the advancement of religion. The principal function of the Donaghadee Parish Church is to support the advancement of the Christian religion (Faith) by promoting, through the work of the Parish, the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. The Bible and our liturgical worship (Book of Common Prayer) define the spiritual life of Donaghadee Parish Church as we experience it as members of the Church of Ireland – and very much a part of the Anglican Communion.

In the maintenance and development of the Christian Faith, the Parish has custody of property and of records, in the care of the Select Vestry of the Parish used in pursuit of our charitable purpose.

As 2026 approaches it will be a memorable year for our Church in that it will be the 400[th] Anniversary of its modern foundation - it will be a year to remember.

The Activities of the Charity

Worship and Prayer

At the heart of Donaghadee Parish Church are worship, teaching and prayer.

Our Parish seeks to provide opportunities for everyone to engage in worship and prayer, no matter what age or liturgical tradition. Music in Donaghadee Parish Church at the morning service is provided by a Parish Music Group who provide a variety of well led and enjoyable music. Our Church organist adds to the vibrancy of worship.

We hold regular services with other churches in the town as well as for the local community, services for District Scouts and Guides, and local schools. On Remembrance Sunday the RBL, the Army Reserve and the ACF often join us for morning worship. On 1[st] July, the rector usually conducts a Somme Remembrance Service for the local Orange Order.

Pastoral care

As a town Donaghadee has become a popular retirement area with many sheltered dwellings, apartments complexes and Nursing Homes. Our Parish seeks to provide pastoral care during times of sickness, bereavement, care for the elderly and those who are housebound and those in hospital, as well as the wider congregation. We also minister to young families who come for Holy Baptism and couples who wish to get married. We have a strong pastoral ministry in hospitals and nursing homes as well as visiting in people’s homes, especially at difficult times.

Outreach

Donaghadee Parish Church seeks to reach out into our community through a range of caring and activity programs for adults and young people.

We provide a variety of activities for adults including Indoor Bowling Club (3 sessions per week), Women’s Fellowship and Monday Club for the older folk. These are opportunities to engage with each other and build friendships and fellowship. We also have a Men’s Work Party who provide practical help in buildings and grounds maintenance - this also builds fellowship amongst our men.

For young people we have a Sunday School, uniformed organizations (Scouts and Guides) and our Parent and Toddlers Group. We also have the Army Cadet Force Detachment who use our halls each week.

Donaghadee Parish reaches beyond our town through our links in prayer and financial support, given through the Church Missionary Society, to its work in Maridi Diocese, South Sudan.

Donaghadee Parish Select Vestry makes our Parish Halls available for use during the year to groups who provide resources for programs for good mental health, hearing loss and vaccination clinics provided by Donaghadee Health Centre. Several thousand people have been vaccinated in our Halls both for Covid and the flu for a number of years now.

The Achievements of the Charity

Central to the work of Donaghadee Parish is teaching God’s word to bring Parishioners into a deeper knowledge and understanding of faith in Jesus Christ and fostering a real sense of congregational cohesion as we reach out into the local community in Donaghadee. We have a Christian discipleship course called Pilgrim which is proving very helpful and popular - as well as a weekly Bible Study group.

The direct benefit of participation in Church life includes the enjoyment of public worship and giving and receiving of pastoral care, a deeper understanding of the Bible and improved values relating to building fellowship and engaging with our local town community.

Donaghadee Parish is a multigenerational Church, and we seek to build strong caring relationships across all age groups. Church Services are well attended and demonstrate a keen public interest and benefit to the wider community.

Combined attendance at Sunday Services averages around 180 people but special services such as Christmas, Holy Week and Easter, Harvest and Remembrance Day attract even larger congregations. The congregation appreciates the variety of worship in Donaghadee and discerns the presence of God with us. Our mid-week Healing Service has a regular attendance of well over thirty people and includes many from other congregations in the town. During the year Donaghadee Parish had 5 Baptisms, 1 wedding, and 21 funerals.

Activities outside normal Church services included barbeques, quizzes, fellowship nights and concerts, trips away and the ever-popular Men’s Movie Night. These engage our church membership, build fellowship and aid outreach and pastoral care. These were of enormous social and religious public benefit.

Overall, the beneficiaries of Donaghadee Parish Church are the congregation members and the general public. The public valuation of the benefit can be evidenced through attendance at public worship and church organizations, participation in church governance and willingness to support the work of the Church through Free Will Offering contributions, offerings for fabric upkeep and parish development, fund raising events and congregational social events.

The wider benefit to the public is the availability of a place for worshipping in the course of Christian outreach and the facilitation of weddings, funerals and baptisms. Experiencing pastoral ministry has been a prime route for people into our congregational life.

Governance & Administration

Donaghadee Parish Church is a part of the Diocese of Down and Dromore and the day-today running is the responsibility of the Select Vestry which normally meets monthly and is responsible for the Parish Fabric, Finance and Furnishings. The Select Vestry consists of the Rector, the churchwardens, the glebe wardens and generally not more than twelve other members elected at the General Vestry.

Parish administration is conducted with the assistance of volunteers who support the Select Vestry, Honorary Secretary, and Honorary Treasurer as well as Committees responsible for Finance and Property

The Trustees recognise the range of statutory regulations and obligations that are relevant to our activities and our responsibilities thereto. The Trustees ensure adequate buildings and public liability insurance. Health risks and Fire Safety Inspections are undertaken to comply with necessary rules and regulations, including the annual Entertainments Licence for the Church Halls.

All our organisations for young people are run under the guidance of the Church of Ireland’s Child Protection Policy (Safe Guarding Trust) and the Select Vestry ensures that this is adhered to.

Governing Documentation & Constitution of Donaghadee Parish

Chapter 111 of the Constitution of the Church of Ireland governs parishes and parochial organisation. The Select Vestry Members are Charity Trustees.

No Trustee receives remuneration, reward, or other private benefit for carrying out their Trustee responsibilities with the exception of the Rector who receives a Parish stipend and accommodation at the Rectory.

No private benefit is received from the Trustees fulfilling their responsibilities in respect of buildings, fabric or records other than those available to the congregation and general public.

Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities

The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

On behalf of the Trustees:

Ian Gamble Diane Finlay Heather Heaney Rector Honorary Secretary Honorary Treasurer